Portable rug dyeing machine and method

ABSTRACT

METHOD OF CLEANING AND/OR DYEING RUGS, UPHOLSTERY AND THE LIKE MATERIALS WHILE THE SAME ARE IN PLACE. INCREMENTAL STRIP OF MATERIAL INSTANTANEOUSLY BENEATH A MOVING NOZZLE IS FIRST SPRAYED WITH HEATED CLEANSING OR DYEING FLUID, THE EXPOSED TO A VACUUM TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE WETTING.

Feb. 2, 1971 J. A. THOMPSON ETAL 3,559,220

PORTABLE RUG DYEING MACHINE AND METHOD ori ginal Filed March 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventors John A. Thompson William H. Wisdom by Buckhorn, Blore, Klarquist and Sparkman Attorneys Feb. 2, I THOMPSON ETAL 3,559,220

- PORTABLE RUG ammo MACHINE AND- um'raon Original Filed March 29. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 loz \04 10M i \06 no Inventors John A. Thompson I William H. Wisdom by Buckhorn, Blore; Klarquist and Sparkamn Attorneys United States Patent O 3,559,220 PORTABLE RUG DYEING MACHINE AND METHOD John A. Thompson, Portland, ()reg., and William H. Wisdom, Portland, Oreg. (Rte. 2, Box 178E, Sherwood, Oreg. 97140); said Thompson assignor to said Wisdom Application Mar. 29, 1968, Ser. No.-723,325, which is a continuation of abandoned application Ser. No. 344,085, Feb. 11, 1964. Divided and this application May 29, 1968, Ser. No. 751,634

Int. Cl. B08b 3/00, 5/04 US Cl. 8-1491 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method of cleaning and/or dyeing rugs, upholstery and the like materials while the same are in place. Incremental strip of material instantaneously beneath a moving nozzle is first sprayed with heated cleansing or dyeing fluid, then exposed to a vacuum to prevent excessive wetting.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of Ser. No. 723,325, filed Mar. 29, '1968 and now abandoned. Ser. No. 723,325 is in turn a continuation of Ser. No. 344,085, filed Feb. 11, 1964, now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 7 The present invention relates to apparatus for dyeing fabrics and more particularly to a portable rug and upholstery dyeing machine and to a method of dyeing rugs and upholstery while the same are in place.

PRIOR ART Heretofore in dyeing rugs it has been common practice to take up the rug from the floor and transport it to a plant where the rug is cleaned, dipped in a hot dye bath and then thoroughly dried. Similarly, in dyeing upholstery, the fabric usually is removed from the piece of furniture, dry cleaned, and then dipped in dye solution. Naturally, these are painstaking, time consuming and, therefore, expensive operations, and subject the owner to inconvenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention teaches a method of cleaning rugs, upholstery and other fabrics prior to dyeing and whilst the same are in place, together with a method of in place dyeing of the said fabrics after cleaning. The methods, and apparatus, are hereinafter described in exemplary detail. Apparatus particularlyadapted to the methods has general characteristics as outlined below.

The present invention provides a portable machine for dyeing rugs, upholstery and other fabrics While the same are in place in their normal, useful environment.

The present invention also provides a hand-operated dye applicator which sprays a dye solution into the fabric, and simultaneously subjects the surface being sprayed to a vacuum. Thus excessive wetting of the fabric is prevented. v 7

Further, the invention provides a new portable rug and upholstery dyeing machine to clean the fabric prior to application of the dyeand which can effectively be used for cleaning alone.

Still further, the invention provides a portable rug and upholstery dyeing machine, including a spray and vacuum applicator, in which temperature, pressure and concentration of the dye can be regulated to suit the nature of the fabric being dyed.

The machine includes a boiler unit having a tank for holding hot dye and cleaning solution, the tank being mounted on a portable wheeled base. Means are provided for drawing off steam and hot solution from the tank and conducting it under pressure to a remote hand operated applicator equipped with a spray nozzle and a vacuum chamber. The applicator is moved over the surface to be dyed, simultaneously spraying solution into the fabric and subjecting the sprayed fabric to a vacuum to prevent excessive wetting thereof. As seen from an incremental surface strip instantaneously beneath the moving nozzle, the strip is first sprayed and, as the nozzle moves, is subjected to vacuum. Thus while the operations above are simultaneous in time they are, as seen by the incremental strip, successive discrete strips.

The foregoing procedure is first used with a cleaning solution in the boiler unit for cleaning the fabric to be dyed, then the cleaning solution is replaced with a dye solution and the procedure is repeated.

A detail description following illustrated by drawings gives exemplification of preferred embodiment of the invention in apparatus, and of the methods. The invention can be expressed both in apparatus and in methods other than those particularly described.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective of apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, partly in section, of the boiler unit of the apparatus of FIG. 1, a housing of the unit being removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the dye applicator portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. '4 is a side elevation of the applicator of FIG. with a head portion shown in section;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the applicator.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the illustrated rug dyeing apparatus 10 includes an upright stainless steel, housing 12 mounted on a tubular base 14 having a front and a rear end. The base has a pair of casters 16 at the front end thereof and an upwardly curved tubular handle portion 18 at the rear end as shown, for propelling the machine. A pair of rubber-tipped tubular legs 20 extends downwardly from the rear end of the base 14 a greater distance than the casters 16 extend down: wardly from the front end of the frame. Thus, the entire frame and housing are inclined from the horizontal in a direction from the wheeled front end toward the rear end thereof so that tubes of the boiler unit within the housing are inclined.

A rectangular stainless steel firebox 22 is mounted adjacent the rear end of the frame within the housing 12, A tube-type boiler 24- within the firebox has a pair of generally horizontally opposed cylindrical header boxes 26 spaced from each other as shown. A plurality of boiler tubes 28 extends in three horizontal rows, between the headers 26.

. A gas fired burner unit 30 is disposed within the firebox 22 beneath the boiler, and is connected by a flexible supply'line 32 to a remote butane, or other suitable combustible gas, source 34. A gas pressure control valve and gauge 35 are mounted at the rear end of the housingin the supply line 32. A sheet metal exhaust hood 36,is mounted over a top opening 37 atop the firebox 22, the hood having an open exhaust end 38 which extends through a rear opening in the housing 12. A lower rear end of the housing and firebox are provided with aligned air intake and access openings 30.

A large hot water, or liquid, supply tank 40 is mounted over the hood 36 by means of four struts 42 which straddle the hood and are aflixed to upper corners of the firebox. The tank has a first bottom opening 44 from which a downcomer pipe 46 extends downwardly into a lower endwall portion of the forward header box 26. A riser pipe 48 extends downwardly from a second bottom opening 50 in the tank 40 to a top opening in the rear header box 26. Thus, as the boiler is heated, water circulates from the tank 40 down through the downcomer 46, into the front header box 26, through the boiler tubes 28, and upwardly from the rear header box 26-, through the riser 43 and back into the tank 40 due to the rearward inclination of the boiler components.

A liquid filler opening 52 and cap therefor are provided for filling the tank and suitable drain openings 54 are provided for each header box. A drain pipe 56 leads from the drain openings and projects through a front end wall of the housing '12. Steam pressure control means 55, including a gauge, is mounted on a sidewall of the housing. For added safety, a steam relief valve 57 designed to blow off under a steam pressure of 50 p.s.i. is provided at another opening in the top of the tank. A water glass, or liquid level indicator 58, is mounted on the front end wall of the housing and is connected at upper and lower ends by suitable conduit to an upper opening 59 in the front end wall of the tank and a lateral opening 60 in the downcomer respectively.

The top of the tank is also provided with flanged steam and hot liquid drawotf openings 61 and 62 respectively, over which suitable ball control valves 64 and 66 are mounted. A liquid drawoff tube 67 has an upper end connected to the liquid control valve 66 and extends downwardly into the tank through the opening 62, terminating near the bottom of the tank. Two short lengths of conduit or hose 68 and 69, one from the steam control valve 64 and the other from the liquid control valve 66, meet at a Y coupling 70. A much longer, flexible hose 72 extends from the Y coupling 70 to a remote liquid spray applicator 74.

The boiler is also provided with superheating means by which dry superheated steam can be drawn from the machine for steam drying of fabrics, following either detergent cleaning or dye spraying. Such means include a steam drawolf tube 78 extending upwardly through an opening in the bottom of the tank 40 and terminating above the surface level of the liquid in the tank. A lower end of the tube 78 extends into the hood 36 and is coupled to a coiled length of metal tubing 80 disposed within the hood and terminating at an outer end 81 beyond the front wall of the housing 12. The outer end of the tubing 80 is provided with a suitable shutoff valve and coupling means (not shown) for coupling a length of flexible hose thereto.

The applicator 74 includes a tubular stem portion 84 with coupling means 86 at one end thereof for attachment of a flexible vacuum conduit 88 leading from a vacuum source 90 (FIG. 1). A transversely extending, elongated head portion 92 is mounted at an opposite end of the stem '84. The head 92 has a hollow interior enclosed by front and rear walls 94 and 96 respectively, opposite end walls 98 and a top wall 100. The head has on open flat bottom provided with a large mouth 101. A baffle 102 is disposed within the month 101 transversely of the stem 84 and extending between the end walls 93 so as to partition the interior of the head into two chambers, a front vacuum chamber 104 in communication with the interior of the stem 84 and a rear spray chamber .106. A lower edge surface of the baffie 102 is provided with spaced notches 103 to minimize the gripping power of the vacuum when end walls of the month 101 are in contact with a rug or other surface, and to prevent excessive penetration of the dye and cleaning solutions into the fabric being treated.

A right-angle spray nozzle 108 is mounted in the rear wall 96 within the spray chamber so as to direct a liquid spray uniformly outwardly of the month 101. The spray nozzle 108 has a coupling 110 at an exterior face of the rear wall 96, to which coupling is attached one end of a short length of flexible tubing or conduit 112.

An opposite end of the tubing 112 is coupled to an outlet end of a shutoff valve 114 mounted on an upper portion of the stem 84. A lever type handle 115 is provided so that the valve may be conveniently controlled by hand. The long length of flexible hose 72 leading from the steam and hot liquid drawofi openings of the dye machine is coupled to the inlet end of the valve 114.

The illustrated form of applicator 74 is a hand model especially adapted for cleaning and dyeing upholstery. A floor version (not shown) for dyeing rugs is of the same construction and arrangement except for size and obvious provision of a handle.

To dye a fabric, for example upholstery, a quantity of detergent solution is introduced into the tank 40, the detergent being preferably nonionic in nature to prevent subsequent acidic or basic problems with the dye solution used. The detergent solution is then brought to a boil at from 20 to 40 pounds steam pressure. The hot detergent solution is then sprayed with the applicator into the fabric to be dyed, as the applicator is moved over the fabric surface, and at the same time the vacuum is applied continuously to prevent excessive wetting of the upholstery and to remove dirt drawn up from the upholstery by the detergent.

Immediately following cleaning, and without necessarily drying the fabric, the dyeing operation can commence. First, however, the detergent solution is drained from the tank and boiler system and replaced with a liquid dye solution. The dye solution is heated to boiling and applied at a steam pressure in the tank of preferably from about 20 to 40 p.s.i. The hot liquid dye solution is sprayed into the fabric through the applicator nozzle and again the vacuum is applied continuously throughout the dye spraying operation in order to prevent excessive wetting of the fabric. Concentration of the dye and pressure at which it is sprayed are controlled by varying relative amounts of steam and hot dye solution entering the hose 68 at the Y juncture 70, control being by means of the ball valves 64 and 66. The temperature of the dye solution as it is applied to the fabric will vary depending upon the steam pressure is the tank. Optimum temperature will vary somewhat according to the dye and fabric being dyed as known in the art. As a general rule the dye solution is hotter than 212 degrees Fahrenheit as it is applied to the fabric. In most fabrics this temperature is required for proper and expeditious permanent setting of the dye.

If desired, or found necessary, the superheated dry steam may be used to dry the fabric following either the cleaning or dyeing operation. The dry steam can also be used, if desired, to dry the fabric following the preliminary cleaning operation.

DESCRIPTION OF METHOD A method according to the present invention includes preliminary cleaning of the fabric to be dyed by spraying the same with hot, preferably boiling, detergent solution and simultaneously applying a vacuum to the surface area being sprayed. When the cleaned fabric is to be dyed, the cleaned surface is sprayed with a hot dye solution While the surface being sprayed is simultaneously exposed to a vacuum, again to prevent excessive wetting of the material.

An incremental surface strip of fabric instantaneously beneath the nozzle is first sprayed and, as the nozzle moves, is then subjected to vacuum-this can be accomplished by simultaneous spraying and vacuum applied by means of a moving head as described. Clearly relative motion between an applicator and a fabric is a central concept of the method, i.e., if fabric be moved relatively to a stationary applicator, the method is the same.

It is seen that treatment of rugs, upholstery, and other fabrics by a method according to the present invention can be either cleaning alone, or cleaning followed by dyeing. In cleaning, a detergent is used and in dyeing a dye is used.

In dyeing, depending on the fabric and dye, it is some- We claim: 1. A method of treating rugs, upholstery, and other fa'bric having a permeable surface, the method including concurrent operations as under,

(a) discharging a spray of heated aqueous solution under pressure, the solution having a treating constituent and being directed to impinge the surface of the fabric; the pressure aforesaid being attained by heating the solution to boiling point in a confined space until between twenty and forty pounds per square inch pressure is attained, the heating thus producing a steam constituent and a separate treating constituent,

(b) mixing the constituents under said pressure to produce a mixture having a quantity of each constituent; and discharging the mixture as a spray as aforesaid,

(c) confining the discharge within a spray space defined in part by a first incremental strip of the surface being sprayed,

(d) maintaining a vacuum in a space defined in part by a second incremental strip of the surface contiguous to the first incremental strip aforesaid,

(e) effecting relative motion between the spray and the surface, adapted for the spray to penetrate the surface of the strip being sprayed which, immediately 30 thereafter as a result of the relative motion aforesaid, is exposed to the vacuum withdrawing moisture and preventing excessive wetting by the spray.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the quantity of at least one of the constituents of the mixture is controlled prior to mixing so as to control concentration of the mixture bein-g sprayed.

3. A method according to claim 1, which is further characterized in that said separate treating constituent is a detergent.

4. A method according to claim 1, 'which is further characterized in that said separate treating constituent is a dye.

5. A method according to claim 4, the mixture being sprayed having a temperature suificient to set the dye in the fabric.

6. A method according to claim 1, the mixture being sprayed having a temperature of at least 212 F.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,016,435 2/1912 Overholt 15321X 1,093,532 4/ 1914 Cavalier 15-322X 1,437,331 11/ 1922 Alexander 15321X 1,633,568 6/1927 Brewer 3877 1,669,077 5/1928 Brewer 15321X 2,497,435 2/1950 Branneman 15-321X 2,238,400 4/1941 Scott 8--137X 2,574,731 11/ 1951 Dapprich 15-346X WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

